Hongling's urgency was very fast, Li Shaoming and Emperor Shunming agreed on things in the capital of Chu State, and it didn't take long for Anzhou to receive an edict from the capital. Pen, fun, pavilion www. biquge。 info

Jiedu Embassy.

Yang Tianhong sat on the main seat in the center of the hall, and on the left and right were the civil officials headed by Cao Hui, the assassin, and a group of generals headed by Yang Tong.

Regarding Yang Tianhong's entry into Anzhou, Cao Hui did not have the slightest objection, but had an indescribable sense of relief. He knew that his ability was limited, and if he changed other states and counties in the Chu country, he would definitely be able to govern them in an orderly manner. But Anju is different. This place is facing war at any time, and the threat of the Vietnamese people will come at any moment. In a way, Cao Hui is actually a half-literate and half-military official. However, the number of Anju garrisons was limited. With Anzhou's previous poor financial resources, it simply could not support a large-scale army. Even if there is really enough money and taxes to support the army, those imperial historians in the court who only know the word "rules" but do not consider practical problems will compete to shout that expanding the army without authorization is a violation of the system and an attempt to rebel.

Cao Hui was really tired. He has given too much for the land of Anju. He knew very well that he would never be able to return to Beijing or move to another place as an official. In the eyes of court officials, the word "Anzhou" is synonymous with death. However, even if you look down on officialdom and want to resign and return to your hometown, it is not an easy thing. Regardless of whether the ministry will approve it or not, if he really leaves, he is absolutely not sure what the successor will make Anzhou look like?

In these years, there are many literati who have catchy poems and books, but if you talk about officials who really do a few practical things, understand the people's livelihood, know how to explore water conservancy, and can command soldiers and horses to fight. There are very few. Cao Hui doesn't look down on people in the world, but he has been in the position of Anzhou Thorn History for a long time, and many things have never been proficient, from the most basic part step by step to the present. If you leave like this, you don't know what kind of chaos will happen in Anzhou.

Fortunately, the imperial court enshrined Yang Tianhong as the envoy of the Anzhou Festival. This made Cao Hui's heart high. It slowly fell back to its original place. Yang Tianhong's ability, Cao Hui knows. is really a warrior who kills people without blinking, and he is also a man who dares to act. originally thought that Yang Tianhong was only capable of military affairs, but he didn't expect that he was also flexible in government affairs for the people. Especially the previous increase in the price of commercial goods in Anzhou, Cao Hui admired Yang Tianhong very much. After so many years of assassination in Anzhou, Cao Hui still saw someone dare to confront those wealthy businessmen head-on for the first time. That's right, the wealthy businessmen have scraped away most of the profits from the people of Anzhou, but they are not willing to leave even the benefits of a copper plate behind. It's bearable. It's unbearable. Cao Hui wanted to do something similar for more than a day or two, but he really didn't have the strength in his hands, and he was also worried that once these wealthy businessmen left, Anzhou would immediately fall into a terrible situation of economic blockade, so he had to deal with it and live one day at a time.

From the establishment of the Jiedu Embassy to the present, it is the best period of Cao Hui's life. He had an easy life, although there were still so many government affairs. All kinds of things are still so complicated, but Cao Hui doesn't need to be distracted by the military. You don't have to worry about things like crossing people's borders. Yang Tianhong gave Cao Hui a lot of freedom in terms of government affairs, but only put forward ideas and plans in the main direction, and never interfered with the various decrees issued by the Assassin's Palace. Now, the Assassin's Mansion has been included in the jurisdiction of the Jiedu Embassy, and the people of Anzhou respect the laws and decrees of the Jiedu Embassy. Cao Hui felt that he held a deputy position under Yang Tianhong. It deserves its name. Seeing that the situation in Anzhou was getting better day by day, Cao Hui's heart gradually moved. He sent people back to his hometown to secretly negotiate with the patriarch of the family, and he was brewing a desire to move the entire family over. Even if the patriarch wants to leave some people in his hometown, at least half of the Cao family will have to come to Anzhou.

For the general trend of the world. Cao Hui has an extremely keen sense of perception. Since the founding of the Great Chu State, there have been constant wars on the borders around it. Especially the princes who are divided into feuds in various places, no one wants to be subservient, and they are secretly accumulating strength, wanting to replace the emperor on the dragon chair. The Chu emperors of all dynasties have spared no effort to cut the lords, which has also aroused the rebellion of the princes everywhere. Since the rebellion of King Jiangxia thousands of years ago, all kinds of disputes have continued in the land of Chu, and almost every fifty years or so, similar chaos will break out. The scale ranged from large to small, and in addition to the internal strife of the princes, there were also covetousness from other countries from the outside. Wei and Qi were ostensibly allies with Chu, but in reality, the two countries were also increasing their forces on the border. In particular, the Wei State had a border garrison of up to a million people. Placing so many troops in the middle of two countries that claim to be friendly to each other is really a shame.

It's better to be in Anzhou!

It is rich in products and has a pleasant climate. It was only after Yang Tianhong became the ruler of Anzhou that Cao Hui suddenly discovered that the world was so big, and it turned out that there was such a vast land on the other side of the ocean. Yang Tong's current position is that of the commander of the naval army, and this position has never been set up by the military department of the Chu State. Regarding Yang Tianhong's approach, Cao Hui was noncommittal and didn't want to care about it. In his spare time, he usually goes to the naval army base to have a look. In the past, Cao Hui felt that the only people who begged for a living at sea were pirates, but he never thought that the men of the navy army would be so strong, especially the training intensity and many subjects, and the degree of difficulty was far greater than that of ordinary soldiers. The current training vessels of the navy are not large, and they can only sail in the near sea. Cao Hui followed Yang Tong on a warship several times, and he himself was shocked by the high-intensity training level of the naval soldiers. Cao Hui originally thought that his physique was not bad, and he should be able to keep up with this training speed. After holding out for two hours, he finally gave up. Just retracting and releasing the cable within the specified time, he is not qualified at all. Not to mention other subjects, or the most basic physical training.

In the mountains and forests near Anju, there is a very sour wild fruit with almost no sweetness. According to Yang Tianhong, the name of this fruit is lemon. He carved out a large area of woodland in the southwest of Anju dedicated to the cultivation of lemons. To this end, a special document was issued to stipulate the price and specifications of the lemons that the government could purchase from the people.

Cao Hui was puzzled by this. He didn't understand why Yang Tianhong paid so much attention to a sour wild fruit? Some people were privately discussing that Hou Ye was a monk. Perhaps, the lemon is the spiritual fruit that the monk needs?

This speculation proved to be baseless. There were monks in Suizhou, and some businessmen who came and went to Anzhou brought lemons from Anzhou to Suizhou with the intention of making a windfall. Unexpectedly, the monks scoffed at the lemons that the merchants had brought out like treasures, and told them very directly that they were ordinary mountain fruits. It's worthless, and there's not a shred of psionic power. If the fruit is sweet, it can also be sold as a commodity. The problem is that it's so sour that a bite can almost wipe your teeth out. Even among the people, there are jokes about a few people betting that the loser will eat a few lemons as punishment.

Yang Tianhong sat on the maverick side of things. But no matter what, he is indeed a veritable festival envoy. The people of Anju were able to get his protection. It is indeed a blessing for three lives.

Cao Hui had vaguely heard the name Xuanhuo Legion. Note that it was the Legion, not the Xuanhuo Army that originally came to Anju to quell the rebellion. The difference between the two, Cao Hui is certainly very clear. He didn't know if this was Yang Tianhong's personal doing, or was it instructed by Emperor Shunming? However, the expansion of the Xuanhuo Legion was definitely a good thing for Anzhou. Not to mention the distance, let's take the laibian that has just been laid down as an example. If the Xuanhuo Army still maintained its fixed formation in the past, it would definitely not be possible to come up with enough strength to attack this time. Although I haven't heard the phrase "the best defense is offense". Cao Hui understood that if he blindly let the Vietnamese take the initiative in the war. Then there is no hope for the future of Anzhou.

No matter what the strength of the Xuanhuo Legion was, the number of soldiers under Yang Tianhong's command was tens of thousands or millions, Cao Hui didn't want to care about these things at all, and he didn't want to care about them. Since coming to Anzhou as an official decades ago, Cao Hui has been completely cold to the officialdom of Dachu. He really saw it clearly. Those people who were far away in the capital never thought of being responsible for the country and the people. Even if he is a high-ranking member of the imperial court, he only has silver and a seat in his eyes. Don't talk about it, let's talk about the road from Suizhou to Anzhou. It is renovated every year, but there has never been a time when I can really walk. If you are a businessman who does not have the strength. It is simply not possible to transport goods back and forth on this road. This also caused the closure and isolation of Anzhou from the interior of Chu.

It's not that this path can't be taken. Cao Hui once led people through a few times, and as long as he used a pack horse with excellent endurance, he could come and go normally. Of course, the speed is certainly not as fast as the normal road, but it is not difficult enough to be impassable. Especially the most troublesome sections of the plank road, as long as the support frame is reinforced, or the stone is directly dug to open the mountain, although it needs to be delayed and costs money, it is once and for all.

The prefect of Suizhou has changed one term after another, and the special funds allocated by the imperial court for road repair have been paid one after another, and hundreds of years have passed, what this road was like at the beginning, and what it is still like now.

Over time, Cao Hui gradually understood the truth.

Anzhou products are very popular in Chu. Tortoiseshell and pearls are abundant here, as well as a variety of precious seafood. Grain and rice can only be regarded as the cheapest of them, and the value is quite low. All businessmen are in pursuit of maximizing profits. Caravans traveled between Suizhou and Anzhou, choosing only the most expensive and profitable goods. Luxury goods and valuables can be sold at a high price because they are scarce. If the road from Anzhou to Suizhou is completed, then anyone can get involved and do business all over the world. At that time, the Anzhou tortoiseshell and pearls were not so valuable, and the silver that was put into the merchants' pockets was no longer bulging and abundant.

Cao Hui didn't know the word "monopoly". He was only indignant at this behavior, but he was helpless. The successive Suizhou assassins are all direct relatives of the imperial court members, or they are close protégés. Standing in Cao Hui's position, of course, he understood that if the road was built, it would be of unimaginable great benefit to the Chu State. However, the people in the court were unwilling to do this, so they could only stand by and stare dryly.

Thinking of this, Cao Hui couldn't help but raise his head and looked at Yang Tianhong, the envoy of Anzhou Jiedu who was sitting in the first place, with eager eyes.

"Everyone has read this document!"

Yang Tianhong took a sip of the freshly brewed tea, slowly put down the tea bowl, and swept over everyone in order with a sharp gaze, his voice was full of majesty and a bit of affinity: "Tell me, what do you think about this matter?"

The people who are qualified to enter this hall are all military and political leaders of Anju. The edict turned around in everyone's hands and returned to Yang Tianhong.

Cheng Zhiding thought about it, stood up first, and arched his hand at Yang Tianhong: "Master Hou." In the eyes of the lower officials, this is a good thing. In Anzhou, there are all kinds of industries to be developed, and what is most lacking is population. If we can get the millions of victims from the north, it will definitely be beneficial and harmless. There is a great drought in the north, but we have grain in Anzhou. Don't say it's a million, even if it's a lot more. Anzhou's surplus food is enough to support them for more than two years. ”

Tongzhi He Weilian also nodded and said: "Hou Ye has just won a big victory in Dianbian, and the imperial court has issued an edict for Hou Ye to lead the troops into Beijing. The land in Dien Bien is fertile, and Anju has stockpiled a large number of agricultural tools, and as soon as the victims arrive, the initial resettlement work will be completed within three months. The climate here in Anzhou is hot, and if we start preparing now, the rice can still ripen for one season. What's more, Luo Fang in Cai County always shouted that there was a shortage of manpower. Shipyards, in particular, have been short of craftsmen. The millions of victims were sent to Anju. Many problems can be solved. ”

Yang Tong, the commander of the navy, also seconded: "Master Hou, the navy just received sixty warships last month. It's all used for training. Taking advantage of this opportunity, he can also lead the fleet to Fuzhou. First, it can strengthen training, and secondly, it can also transport disaster victims, which is really a double win. ”

All voices were in favor of acting in accordance with the edict. Yang Tianhong was noncommittal, but his eyes were revolving back and forth on everyone. Soon, it fell on the assassin Cao Hui.

"It's not as simple as we think. ”

Cao Hui sighed and stood up from his chair. pacing back and forth in the hall, he said slowly: "Let Hou Ye lead the troops into Beijing." Although it is His Majesty's intention, it will inevitably be opposed by many courtiers. Of course, if the world is in chaos, it will not benefit anyone. However, the victims are not mobs, as long as the situation is manageable. The imperial court would definitely not be willing to see the Xuanhuo army enter Beijing. Ladies and gentlemen, you have only seen the benefits, but you have not thought about the many problems behind it. If you don't enter the rock pass, you can't enter Suizhou. Even if the Hou Ye obeyed the edict and led the troops to set off to Suizhou. There will be a lot of reproach. Maybe, you won't even be able to get into the rock pass. ”

Yang Tong's well-defined face showed surprise: "How is this possible? How dare they stop like that?"

"Why don't you dare?"

Cao Hui sneered and shook his head repeatedly: "General Yang Tong, you don't know the twists and turns. For a long time, our goods in Anzhou have been passing through Panshi Pass, and then entering Suizhou, before they can be transported to various states and counties in Dachu. It's a lucrative business. Suizhou has set up a special gold bureau for Anzhou commercial goods. Taxes levied, up to four tenths. Of course, the greater the quantity of goods passing through Suizhou, the greater the amount of taxes collected by them. However, in this way, the interests of the merchants will inevitably be damaged. Therefore, the road from Suizhou to Anzhou cannot be built at all. If the common people did not sell the goods in Anzhou, but took them to Suizhou to trade, the merchants would not make much money. Over time, Suizhou Lijin was only a nominal shell. ”

Yang Tong didn't quite understand, and asked: "Even if this is the case, then what does this have to do with Hou Ye leading troops into Beijing?"

Cao Hui smiled faintly, turned around and bowed to Yang Tianhong on the first seat: "Dare to ask Master Hou, how many soldiers and horses are you going to bring with you when you enter Beijing this time?"

Yang Tianhong was very clear about Cao Hui's follow-up answer to this question. He smiled and nodded: "Lord Cao has a heart." This candidate has calculated that there should not be too many soldiers and horses on the entourage, and at the same time, the situation on the Anzhou side must also be taken into account. At full capacity, it will not exceed 20,000 people. ”

This is similar to Cao Hui's estimation in his heart. He continued: "The Xuanhuo Legion is the best elite in the world, and 20,000 people are enough to capture the Rock Pass. It's just that this kind of thing is at most let's talk about it here. If Hou Ye wants to enter Beijing by land, Panshi Pass will not be able to enter no matter what. There must be many excuses on the Suizhou side to refuse to let the Hou Ye enter the customs. Waiting there can only be delayed and energy-consuming. Even if His Majesty knows the inside story, there is nothing he can do. In the end, the matter can only be settled. ”

After a pause, Cao Hui raised his voice: "Therefore, if the Hou Ye is called to enter Beijing, he can only go by sea." However, a new problem has arisen. The ministers of the DPRK and China did not want to see Hou Ye enter Beijing at all. The reason for blocking Suizhou is to monopolize the trade route. The good operation of the terminal in Cai County is also due to the small size of our current fleet. Nowadays, the shipyard's output has surged, and it has gradually shown the strength of our Anzhou. The current visit to Beijing is of great importance, and it will certainly arouse the vigilance and hostility of many officials in the DPRK and China. ”

Cao Hui is not exaggerating.

It is no exaggeration to say that Anzhou before Yang Tianhong became the owner was a tattered overseas enclave. Although almost a year has passed, many things in Anju have just begun to improve. In particular, the construction of docks and shipyards takes time. The fleet size of the Gao family and the Dongfang family was originally not large, although the cabin would not be empty every time they left the Anzhou wharf, but the goods transported to Fuzhou were still far less than the amount transported from Suizhou by land. (To be continued.) )